While these advancements offer people new opportunities to live without fear of contracting HIV, many Black Americans still face significant barriers that may contribute to being unaware of or being unable to access PrEP.
Existing research has found that awareness of PrEP among Black Americans is low, particularly among college-aged students attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and other minority-serving institutions (Holliday et al., 2024).
Mini Report
TABLE OF CONTENTS:Underlying Data
Barriers to Awareness and Access
Medical Mistrust Barriers
Structural and Geographic Barriers
Social and Cultural Barriers
Stigma-Related Barriers
Financial Barriers
Information/Education Barriers
Recommendations
Culturally Competent and Relevant Marketing
Reframe Education, Awareness, and Outreach Campaigns Using a Risk-to-Reasons Framework
Increased Investments in HIV Education and Prevention Infrastructure
Infographics
Trifold
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Despite the availability of these new prevention methods, Black Americans account for 14.5% of all PrEP users, with a PrEP-to-Need ratio of 5.8, meaning that nearly 6 Black Americans are using PrEP for every 1 new HIV diagnosis. By comparison, White Americans account for 62.9% of all PrEP users, with a PrEP-to-Need ratio of 41.7, meaning that nearly 42 White Americans are using PrEP for every 1 new HIV diagnosis (AIDSVu, 2026).
Special Thanks
Michelle Anderson
Narrative Power Institute
Guy Anthony
Black, Gifted & Whole Foundation
Kenya Hutton
Center for Black Equity
Dr. Brittany Williams
University of Vermont
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